1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to a golf putting practice aid.
2. Description of the Background Art
Putting is a very important element within the game of golf. Putting skill requires the ability to strike the ball in the correct direction with the appropriate force. Except for very short putts, the margin of error in the direction that the ball is struck in order to successfully hole a putt, for a given force of putt, is extremely small.
Many aids have been suggested in order to help golfers improve their putting skill. One approach used is to construct a device to restrict the movement of the putter to follow a particular path. The idea is that by moving the putter in such a restricted manner, the golfer is trained to move the putter in the same way when the device is removed.
One theory of putting is that the movement of the putter head in the horizontal direction should be along the line of the intended putt and that the face of the putter should be kept perpendicular to this line. Many inventions have been devised to constrain the head of the putter to move in such a way including GB 2328618 and GB 2271722. As a variation on this, GB 2199754 uses a pair of guides to achieve a back swing which is initially straight but then curves, and the forward stroke follows the same path.
GB 301646 is also designed to constrain the putter to move along the line of the putt. It uses a vertical guide for the toe of the putter and an angled guide for the heel or shaft of the putter. The inventor presumably assumes that the putter is moved parallel to the ground rather than following an arcuate path in the vertical direction. The angled guide preferably includes a lip to the upper end of the guide to act as an abutment to the putter shaft. The angled guide is adjustable to different putter lies.